The Greatest Prize
by buttertroll
Summary: A bedtime story is in order.


Author's Note:  This is just a lil' one-shot about Yomi and his cuter-than-sin mini-me, Shura.  Set a few months before the Makai Tournament.  

Warnings:  Just a few hints at Kurama/Yomi.  

Disclaimer:  I own nothin'… But I would like a hug from Shura…

Flashback/Bedtime Story in _// Whoosh! //_

The Greatest Prize 

Gandara.

Many hail it as one of the most technologically advanced cities in the Makai.  Others say in all four worlds.  With its advances, and the leadership of King Yomi, Gandara and its territories have grown to cover more than one-third of the Makai.  If Gandara has a problem, then it's everyone's problem.  Giant skyscrapers that not only scraped but, pierced the stormy skies were scattered throughout the area.  Electricity, computers, and law enforcement ran this great city.  All wonderful achievements. 

But, there is one 'advancement' that only the highest ranking officials know of…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Papa." A small voice said, barely heard over the thunder booming outside of the palace.

            Any normal citizen would find it ludicrous that a child had somehow came to the _King's _chambers looking for his father.  For they all knew that King Yomi had taken no mate and had no son.

            "Papa!" He continued to call, this time louder.  He cowered at the thunder but continued forward.

            Getting up on his tiptoes, he put his hand onto the scanner that led into the King's personal chambers.  With a small 'beep' and a soundless slide, the door opened.  The massive room was blanketed in darkness.  Despite his fear, the single-horned child stepped forward.

            A flash of lightning illuminated the room, followed by the booming rumble of thunder.  The child shrieked and covered his pointy ears.  Another flash filled the room, this time silhouetting a large figure standing in front of the window, 'observing' the storm.

            "Papa!" the boy shouted, his voice scratchy with unshed tears.  He ran across the room and embraced his father's left leg.

            "Shura, why are you here?" Yomi asks, keeping his blind gaze fixed on the storm.

            "W-well, I called for you and you didn't come…" he paused, pressing his face to Yomi's pants, trying to hide from the thunder, "…So I decided to look for you."

            "Why did you look for me?" Yomi said, tilting his head in the direction of his frightened 'son.'  "If you had called for Yoda, he would have been there in an instant."

            "But… You're my Papa." Shura said, tightening his grip on Yomi's pants. "I wanted to see you." 

            "You see me now, Shura.  What is it?" Yomi asks, not moving.

            "I'm… Scared.  I can't go back to sleep."  Shura answered, releasing his father's leg.  He begins to bow his head in shame.

            Yomi smiles.  "Scared?  If you had been scared you would not have come here.  You would still be in your chambers, calling for me.  I'm proud of you."

            He couldn't help but smile again.  Yes, his 'son' was developing nicely.  Shura had only been engineered a few weeks before in the artificial womb down in the lab.  It's hard to believe that a small blood sample and a machine that was still a trial product created the child standing before Yomi.  Shura was indeed an accomplishment.

            Even though he was 'born' a little less than a month ago, Shura had already grown to the form of a five-year-old child.  Despite his 'age' he was very intelligent and was quickly approaching S-class.  Although, as powerful as he is, a child is still a child, no matter what the circumstances.  

This child happens to be afraid of storms.

Another lightning bolt pierced the night sky; Shura cringed.

"Papa…" Shura looked up at Yomi with his round pink eyes.  "Can… I sleep with you tonight?"  Shura asked, giving his father a pleading look.

After a few moments of contemplation, Yomi sighed, bent down, and lifted Shura in his arms.

"Only for tonight." He said sternly, while gracefully walking to the bed.  Shifting the child to his right arm, he pulled the black blankets back and set Shura down.

Shura, acting like any child would, smiled and began to rearrange all of the sheets blankets, and pillows to his liking.  

Once he had erected a 'fortress' around him, Yomi moved under the covers with him.  As he did, Shura snuggled closer; no one is as warm as his Papa.  Now, as snug as a bug in a rug, Shura calms down.

"Papa…?" he asks hesitantly to the dark figure in front of him.

"Hmm?"

"Will you tell me a story?  You know… Back when you were a 'treasure hunter.'"

Yomi smiles in the dark, "Alright.  Any particular requests?"

"Umm… When you and Kurama took Lady Mukuro's cookies!"

"How about one a little less… Embarrassing?"

"Pleeeeeeease?" Shura pleaded, pulling on a loose lock of his father's long black hair.

Knowing that he was going nowhere, Yomi conceded, "Fine…"

"Yay!"  Shura hugged his father as he waited for him to start.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

// _In part of Lady Mukuro's territory—the forest of Gandara to be precise—two thieves sat.  Plotting their next plunder. //_

_// "I don't know, Kurama.  This is a Makai **LORD** we're talking about.  Not some average snob." Said a young, worried-looking, four-horned demon.  He was sitting down on an old stump, cleaning his sword. //_

_// "Yomi, you worry way too much." Said a beautiful silver youko, standing up and scrutinizing the area. //_

_//  "Besides, we're almost there."  The youko, Kurama, said, coming behind the other demon and grabbing two of his horns. Pulling on them gently, he got Yomi to stand.  "C'mon!  I know a great way to celebrate our conquest…" He said seductively, kissing Yomi's cheek. //_

_// Yomi blushed.  "I d-don't think that's necessary…" he said waveringly. //_

_// Kurama made a face.  "Aww! Mr. Virgin-Chastity-No-Fun is such a bore!"  He took off running.  "Guess I'll have to do **EVERYTHING **by myself!" //_

_// Yomi, now as red as a beet, followed, "Kurama wait for me!!" //_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            _// Lady Mukuro's fortress was now in sight.  The two thieves approached with caution. //_

_            // Spotting a guard, Kurama pulled out his rose whip and easily took him out. //_

_            // Yomi, taking a hint, unsheathed his sword. //_

_            // Both thieves made it into the fortress with little trouble. //_

_            // 'Now, to infiltrate the treasury and make it out alive,' Yomi thought to himself.  He knew Kurama hated his pessimism… Or realism, take your pick. //_

_            // Quietly, they made their way down the hallways, searching for some hidden door.  Yom ran his hand along the walls hoping to find a switch of some sort. //_

_            // "Yomi…?" Kurama whispered. //_

_            // "Hmm?" Yomi answered, peaking his head around a corner. //_

_            // "Do you smell that?" he asked, sniffing the air. //_

_            // "Smell what?" //_

_            // "Nevermind." Kurama said, 'What is that wonderful smell?' //_

_            // They both continued searching the fortress.  Until finally…//_

_            // "Ack!" Yomi said aloud. //_

_            // Kurama instantly covered Yomi's mouth and have him a dangerous glare. //_

_            // Gold met pink.  "Mm srrmie, K'rama…" Yomi's muffled voice said. //_

_            // Kurama released his hold; "You could have gotten us killed!" he quietly spat out, still giving Yomi an angry look. //_

_            // "I'm sorry Kurama…" Yomi said, "I was startled, my hand got caught in this hole and I…" Kurama cut Yomi off. //_

_            // The silver youko smiled, "You found it!"  Before Yomi knew what was going on, Kurama embraced him in a large hug. //_

_            // "Don't thank me… It was an accident."  Yomi said, blushing. //_

_            // "So what?  If your hand hadn't have been caught, we'd never had found it!" //_

_            // As quietly as possible, the two tore down the false wall. //_

_            // Behind the wall were stairs that, most likely, led to the fault. //_

_            // "Uke's first." Kurama said teasingly to Yomi, patting the boy's rear. //_

_            // "That's not funny!" Yomi said, going down the stairs, flustered. //_

_            // As they reached the bottom, a safe lock came into view.  "Leave this to me." Kurama said arrogantly. //_

_            // Yomi stepped back and let Kurama do his work. //_

_            // Kurama reached into his long silky silver hair and pulled out some seeds.  He sat them down by the door and used his power to make them grow into the lock. Smiling he stood back and watched. //_

_            // After a few moments the plants stopped and Kurama frowned. //_

_            // Instead of being greeted with a 'click' of a lock, the two demons were shocked to hear a loud alarm sound. //_

_            // "SHIT!!" Kurama said loudly, turning around and running up the stairs. //_

_            // Yomi stared at the safe. //_

_            // "COME ON!" Kurama yelled, knocking Yomi out of his daze.  Yomi flanked and ran up the stairs with the youko. //_

_            // When they reached the hallway guards were everywhere.  "Shit!" Kurama said again, pulling out his whip.  Yomi had already had his sword ready and was now taking out the soldiers one by one. //_

_            // Clearing the first wave, they both decided it was best to split up, Kurama taking the left, Yomi taking the right. //_

_            // Yomi blindly ran down the halls taking out everyone and everything that stood in his way.  While running, his nose caught a whiff of something heavenly. //_

_            // The horned demon stopped in his tracks and looked for the source of the smell.  He came upon a door.  Feeling cocky after dispatching so many he opened it with haste.  On the other side was a… Kitchen…?  Hearing the sounds of footsteps, he quickly slammed the door and locked it. //_

_            // Moments later, there was a pounding on the door.  "Come out thief!!" A guard yelled, "We know you're in there!" //_

_            // 'Crap,' thought Yomi.  Frantically, he looked around the room.  His gaze landed upon a tray of cookies that cooled by an open window.  'That's what that smell was…' Yomi looked at the cookies again, "Oh, well.  A steal's a steal!" //_

_            // With that, he took the cookies, secured all of them in his pouch, and jumped out of the window. //_

_            // Yomi rolled to the ground, remaining intact and quickly found cover.  He could only hope Kurama was as lucky. //_

_            // His hopes were answered with a loud, "Uhhhnnnn…"  //_

_            // "Kurama?!" Yomi said.  Looking for the source of the sound. //_

_            // Sure enough, there was Kurama, flat on his back with an exhausted look on his face. //_

_            // Yomi quickly went to his side and put Kurama's head in his lap.  "Are you okay?" he asked, looking for any wounds. //_

_            // "I'm fine Yomi, just tired." Kurama said opening his golden eyes.  Kurama sniffed.  "Yomi… That smell…I smelt it back at Mukuro's fortress…"//_

_            // "Oh yeah! I almost forgot!" Yomi said, smiling.  He took off his pouch and opened it.  The sweet aroma filled the brush.  "Want a cookie?" Yomi said happily, looking like a kid with a whole big bag of cookies… Well, in a sense he was. //_

_            // Kurama nodded and opened his mouth.  Yomi stuck the cookie in and Kurama ate it.  "Mmm…" _

_            // "Well, they were from Mukuro's kitchen… They have to be some of the best damn chocolate chip cookies in the Makai!"  Yomi said, trying one for himself. //_

_            // So, the two demons returned with no treasure to gloat about.  Not even the cookies remained to be coveted by the other members of the group. //_

_            // With empty pockets and full stomachs the two demons left the forest of Gandara. //_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            _// Meanwhile…//_

_            // "Uhnn…" The Lady Mukuro awakes from her daily nap. //_

_            // All of the guards know that The Lady demands fresh cookies and milk after her 'beauty sleep.' Smoothing out her teddy bear nightie, Mukuro leaves her chambers. //_

_            // Gracefully, she saunters down the hallway of her fortress, not noticing the bloody corpses decorating her halls.  Her mind was elsewhere. //_

_            // Gently opening the kitchen door, she was struck aghast at the sight that greeted her.  "Where the fuck are my cookies?!" She yelled, all grace leaving her angry form. //_

_            // One guard came to see what was wrong and quickly had his Lady's fist embedded into his face, meeting an unfortunate end. //_

_            // "SHIGURE!!!!" She said enraged, summoning for her masochistic general. //_

_            // Needless to say, many heads did roll that day in the Makai…//_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shura was lost in a giggling fit.  That was his favorite of his father's stories.  Trying to calm down a bit, he pressed his face to the pillow.

            "And that's how we stole Mukuro's cookies."

            Calming down, Shura asks, "Were they really as good as you say they were…?" Sounding a bit jealous that he had never tasted something as wonderful as his father made the cookies sound.

            Yomi paused for a moment, "Yes, they were the best cookies I've had in centuries."

            "At the tournament… Can I ask her for some…?" An innocent question from an innocent child, Yomi couldn't tell him what he really thought Mukuro would say.  Did she even know he was the one?  For that matter, did she even care?

            "Only if you say please."  Yomi said.

            "Don't worry Papa!  I'll be very… polite…" Shura said, in between a yawn.  His eyes were becoming droopy and his body very tired.  Snuggling up to his father he let sleep take him.

            Yomi embraced his sleeping son, 'Good times… But, I don't regret being here either.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ending Notes:  *snicker* I love Mukuro.  

As for the point of this fic, Yomi is not an angst tool, damnit!  In most of the bastard Yomi fics I've read, they make Yomi super evil (I agree, he's no saint, but really, neither is Kurama) and never mention Shura! (Accept for one, Youko Koenma's "Untitled", it's really good!  It had Shura and even lil' Shuichi!)  I'm not sayin' the fics are bad or anything… It's just that he isn't THAT evil… So… I'm showin' err… "Good Yomi"

Also, I know Shura's kind of a little snothead at the Makai Tournament (and he didn't ask Mukuro for cookies… i.i)  I figure he's around 10-12 then… and most kids that age tend to act that way.  Plus, boy's that age are too 'tough' to go to their Papas if they're scared.  The fast growing clone thing, made up.  And the teddy bear nightie, cookie, and milk needs of Mukuro, made up (sadly.)  I have no idea if Shigure was around 1,000 years ago, so I suppose I made that up too.  One last thing, Shura said 'treasure hunter' instead of thief, which was borrowed from Final Fantasy 6's Locke. (All rights reserved to Square)

Take no offence, this is just what this bored lil' freshman does on her snow days when she's too lazy to work on her other fics.


End file.
